Apparatus And Method Of Producing Reinforced Laminated Panels As A Continuous Batch

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for producing multiple panels of a reinforced laminated membrane are provided. The apparatus and method utilize an accommodator between a yarn-laying station and a plotting and cutting station to allow these stations to operate simultaneously and without interruption on more than one part of a sheet of material. Reinforcing yarns are deposited on the sheet of material at the yarn-laying station in one or more patterns. Panels are cut at the cutting station after lamination. The accommodator accommodates material between these stations.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the manufacture of a reinforcedlaminated membrane. In particular, the present invention relates to themanufacture of reinforced laminated panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that the demands of high performance sailing havedriven important advances in sails and sailmaking technology in recentdecades. In the past, all sails were constructed from woven fabrics.First, textile yarns made from organic fibers, such as cotton, wereused. Eventually, textile yarns made from organic fibers were replacedby synthetic yarns, which were generally extruded multifilaments.Examples of such synthetic yarns are polyester, nylon, polyaramid,polyethylene naphthalate, polyphenulene benzo bisoxazole, and the like.Initially, these synthetic yarns were woven into cloths of varyingweights and densities just as textile yarns had been for centuriesprior. Today, synthetic yarns and materials have almost completelyreplaced organic yarns for use in sails of all types in all parts of theworld.

Sails made from woven materials—whether synthetic or not—are known topossess serious shortcomings. For example, the 90 degree warp and fillorientation and the over and under shape of the warp yarns (called“crimp”) created by weaving make the sail highly susceptible todistortion of the sail's shape once it is exposed to the high loadsassociated with powering a sailboat. Because the warp and fill yarns areoriented at strictly a 90 degree angle to one another, the wovenmaterial has anisotropic properties when force is applied at anglesother than 90 degrees to the warp or fill. Also, because of the “crimp,”the cloth is often woven so that it has better properties (for exampleless stretch) in only one of the warp or fill directions. This canresult in uneven elongation of the material. The drawbacks of wovenmaterials, while not overly worrisome for most recreational sailors,were a significant problem for high performance sailors.

In response, sailmakers made significant advances in high performancesailcloth over the past 30 years. Of these advances, the move tolaminated “structural” sails has been the most significant. In summary,structural sails generally combine high strength and low-stretchsynthetic films with high strength and low-stretch synthetic yarns thatare placed along the anticipated load-paths of the sail. Synthetic yarnsare placed along paths which the sailmaker has calculated the force tobe following. This allows the sail to be extremely strong while alsosignificantly lighter than woven materials, since the yarns are usedmuch more efficiently. In essence, a structural sail is customized for aparticular boat and a particular use: the sail provides optimumperformance in its application as selected by the sailor.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a sail panel 50 that is part of astructural sail. In general, the sail panel 50 is cut from a web oflaminated membrane. The laminated membrane is formed of one or morelayers 51 of reinforcing yarns 20 that are laminated between a top sheet52 of film and a bottom sheet 53 of film. The reinforcing yarns 20 aredisposed along the anticipated load paths of the sail panel 50. Thereinforcing yarns 20 are preferably synthetic material having highstrength, very low stretch, and light weight. The film used for topsheet 52 and bottom sheet 53 is also selected to have high strength,very low stretch, and light weight.

Structural sails provide many advantages over traditional woven sails,as described in the prior art. The two primary approaches to designingand making structural sails are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,080to Conrad (and related patents to Conrad et al., collectively the“Conrad process”) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,784 to Baudet (the “3DLprocess”). Reference should be made to these documents for furtherdetails regarding the advantages of structural sails.

In a simple embodiment of the Conrad process, yarns are laid onto a film(such as Mylar) along the directions in which the principal forces run.This structure is then laminated with a second film to form a sailpanel. A plurality of sail panels are constructed in this way and theplurality of panels are joined together to form a sail. The well-knowntechnique of broadseaming is used to join the panels such that theresulting sail has a three-dimensional shape.

The 3DL process differs slightly in that an entire three-dimensionalsail is made in one piece. In the 3DL process, sections of film arebroadseamed together and placed on a mold. The mold has athree-dimensional shape corresponding to the desired shape of the sail.A gantry deposits yarns on the film in continuous trajectories from oneedge of the sail to another. The yarns are oriented, as in the Conradprocess, along the principal load-paths. After the yarns are deposited,an outer layer of film may be applied on top of the fiber layer. Thearrangement is laminated using heat or light and/or vacuum pressure.

Both of the foregoing processes have been used with great success bysailmakers to create high-performance sails used by the best sailors inthe world. The customized, structural laminated sails have effectivelybecome required equipment for serious sailboat racing.

While the high-performance, customized structural sails are typicallywell within the budget of sponsored sailboat racing teams andorganizations, other sailors often struggle to justify the expense ofthese high-performance sails. Over the past decade, sailmakers havelabored to reduce the cost of these high-performance sails to make themmore accessible to recreational sailors, high-performance cruisingsailors, and sailors that are beginning a racing career.

The current method for making sails according to the Conrad process iscommonly known as the “D4 process.” In the D4 process, a sail isdesigned using a computer, which can provide models of expectedload-paths for the sail. The sails are designed to include a pluralityof sections or panels—typically five to seven. The computer model of thesail is used by the sailmaker to undertake the following steps to createa sail. First, a film layer is placed on the construction floor andsecured in place. Next, a computer driven overhead gantry system laysout a yarn matrix on the film. The gantry system lays out the yarnaccording to the computer models. After the yarns are laid, a top filmis placed on top of the yarns and bottom layer and the components arelaminated using pressure rollers.

As is well-known, additional components have often been incorporatedinto sail panels made by the D4 process. For example, laminates madeunder U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,641 to Linville et al (often marketed underthe trademark “X-Ply”) or similar laminated membranes are often used inaddition to or instead of the top film.

Unfortunately, the D4 process, while significantly more efficient thatthe 3DL process, still leaves room for improvement in cost savings.Primarily, the traditional D4 process is more labor intensive thandesired, as human intervention is required at numerous steps in theprocess. For example, the first film layer must be manually drawn andlaid out for each and every panel. Second, each and every laminatedstructure must be manually moved after lamination. Thus, manual laborand material handling is relatively high in known methods for producingcustomized, laminated panels.

It is also known that laminate structures similar to those used instructural sails have a wide variety of applications in a wide varietyof industries. For example, laminated membranes that are reinforced byload-bearing yarns are used in parachutes, reinforced bags, air bags,tents, awnings, etc. A more efficient and cost effective means ofmanufacturing these membranes is also desired.

What is desired, therefore, is a method and apparatus for producingcustom panels of a reinforced laminated membrane that significantlyminimizes manual labor and includes improved automation. A method andapparatus that produces custom panels of a reinforced laminated membranein rapid succession is also desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method andapparatus for producing custom panels of a reinforced laminated membranethat minimizes manual labor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method andapparatus for producing custom panels of a reinforced laminated membranewith a high degree of automation.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a methodand apparatus for producing custom panels of a reinforced laminatedmembrane in rapid succession.

These and other objects are achieved according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention by provision of a method of continuously producingmultiple sail panels for sails having one or more patterns ofreinforcing yarns, comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of sailpanel material; adding first reinforcing yarns to a first portion of thesheet in a first pattern; laminating the first reinforcing yarns to thefirst portion of the sheet to form a first reinforced laminated sailcloth; advancing the first reinforced laminated sailcloth through anaccommodating station to a cutting station; fixing the first reinforcedlaminated sailcloth in place at the cutting station; cutting the firstreinforced laminated sailcloth into a first sail panel; while cuttingthe first sail panel, adding second reinforcing yarns to a secondportion of the sheet in a second pattern; laminating the secondreinforcing yarns to the second portion of the sheet to form a secondreinforced laminated sail cloth; accommodating the second reinforcedlaminated sailcloth in the accommodating station until cutting of thefirst sail panel from the first reinforced laminated sailcloth complete.

In some embodiments, the first pattern and the second pattern aredifferent. In some embodiments, the first pattern and the second patternare the same. In some embodiments, the method further comprises thesteps of: advancing the second reinforced laminated sailcloth to thecutting station; fixing the second reinforced laminated sailcloth inplace at the cutting station; and cutting the second reinforcedlaminated sailcloth into a second sail panel, where the second sailpanel and the first sail panel are intended to form parts of a sail.

In some embodiments, the second panel is cut to a different shape thanthe first panel. In some embodiments, the steps of laminating compriselaminating the first and second reinforcing yarns and the first andsecond portions of the sheet of sail panel material to a previouslylaminated material. In some embodiments, the previously laminatedmaterial comprises reinforced sailcloth.

In some embodiments, the step of accommodating comprises translating atleast one roller to vary the distance to be travelled by the secondreinforced laminated sailcloth to arrive at the cutting station. In someembodiments, the steps of laminating comprise advancing the first andsecond reinforcing yarns and the first and second portions of the sheetof sail panel material between a heated metal roll and a flexiblecounter roll. In some embodiments, the step of adding first reinforcingyarns to a sheet of sail panel material comprises adding firstreinforcing yarns along expected load-paths in a sail panel.

According to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, anapparatus for continuously producing multiple panels of a laminatedmembrane having one or more patterns of reinforcing yarn is provided.The apparatus comprises: a yarn-laying head for adding first reinforcingyarn to a first portion of a sheet of material in a first pattern andsecond reinforcing yarn to a second portion of the sheet of material ina second pattern; a laminator for laminating the first reinforcing yarnto the first portion of the sheet to form a first portion of reinforcedlaminated membrane and the second reinforcing yarn to the second portionof the sheet to form a second portion of reinforced laminated membrane;a cutting device for cutting panels from the first and second portionsof reinforced laminated membrane; and an accommodator disposed betweenthe yarn-laying head and the cutting device for accommodating the secondportion of the sheet of material until the cutting of a first panel fromthe first portion of reinforced laminated membrane is completed by thecutting device.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a cutting table onwhich the first portion of reinforced laminated membrane is fixed whilepanels are cut by the cutting device. In some embodiments, the cuttingtable includes a vacuum surface. In some embodiments, the first patternand the second pattern are different. In some embodiments, the firstpattern and the second pattern are the same.

In some embodiments, the accommodator comprises a plurality oftranslatable rollers for varying the distance travelled by the secondreinforced laminated membrane between the laminator and the cuttingdevice. In some embodiments, the laminator comprises a heated metal rolland a flexible counter roll. In some embodiments, the laminatorlaminates the first and second reinforcing yarns and the first andsecond portions of the sheet of material to a previously laminatedmembrane.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a yarn-laying tableon which the sheet of material is secured while the yarn-laying headadds the first reinforcing yarn to the sheet. In some embodiments, theyarn-laying head adds the first reinforcing yarns to the sheet ofmaterial along expected load-paths in the panel.

In some embodiments, the laminator is disposed between the yarn-layinghead and the cutting device and the accommodator is disposed between theyarn-laying head and the laminator. In some embodiments, the laminatoris disposed between the yarn-laying head and the cutting device and theaccommodator is disposed between the cutting device and the laminator.

Thus, the present invention provides a method and apparatus forproducing multiple panels of a reinforced laminated membrane efficientlyand cost-effectively. The accommodator allows the sail panel material(often a film or sheet) to be stationary so that reinforcing yarns maybe deposited thereon and stationary at the cutting station for plottingand cutting, even though these tasks may require different lengths oftime to complete. In some embodiments, human intervention is notrequired to move the laminated membrane from the laminator to thecutting table, as this is taken care of by a driven rewind roll at theend of the cutting table, and thus, the end of the apparatus. A largenumber of panels having various lengths and yarn patterns may beproduced in rapid succession without stopping any part of the apparatusfor an extended period of time.

The particular details and benefits of the present invention will beapparent to those of skill in the art based on the following descriptionwith reference to the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for producing sail panelsaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus forproducing sail panels as shown schematically in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sail constructed of sail panels madeusing the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a panel made using the apparatus shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows a method of producing panels according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus10 for producing sail panels according to the present invention. Ingeneral, the apparatus 10 is used to create a reinforced laminatedmembrane from which a series of panels may be cut. In some embodiments,the panels are designed to be sail panels that form part of a structuralsail. The apparatus 10 deposits yarns on a bottom sheet of material thatis often provided in a roll. Sheets of material used in the presentinvention may be most any type of sheet, film, or substrate, including,in some embodiments, tafetta or other cloth. The type of material usedwill vary depending on the intended use of the panels to be constructed,as will be recognized by those of skill in the art. The yarn isdeposited in a series of desired patterns corresponding to the patternsdesired for each individual panel. For example, the yarns are depositedalong the expected load lines in a sail panel. The apparatus 10 advancesthe bottom sheet carrying the yarn through a laminating station, inwhich the bottom sheet and yarns are laminated to a top sheet to form alaminated membrane or sail cloth. The top sheet may be a previouslylaminated component. The completed laminated membrane or sailcloth isthen advanced to the plotting and cutting table so that a sail panel maybe cut and removed from the membrane. A material accommodator is used toaccommodate the laminated membrane or sail cloth, as necessary, betweenthe laminator and the plotting and cutting table.

The present invention is particularly suited for the manufacture of sailpanels used to create three-dimensional structural sails, but many otherreinforced laminated products are advantageously produced in accordancewith the invention. For example, reinforced laminated membrane panelsmade according to the present invention are used for such products astents, awnings, parachutes, air bags, various construction materials,and the like.

More particularly, the apparatus 10 has four primary stations: ayarn-laying station 11, a laminator or laminating station 12, anaccommodating station, accumulator, or accommodator 13, and aplotting/cutting station 14. A sheet 17 is provided on a roll 15, whichis located at one end of a yarn-laying table 16 and is arranged so thatthe sheet 17 may be advanced over the table 16. In situations where thesheet 17 is provided on a liner, a rewind roll 18 is also provided tocollect the liner as the sheet 17 is unwound from the roll 15. The sheet17 is advanced over the table 16—and through the entire apparatus 10—viaone or more driven rollers located in the apparatus. The table 16includes, in some embodiments, a vacuum system as is well-known in theart to hold the sheet 17 in place. Driven rollers may be located in thelaminating station 12, in the accommodator 13, and/or at the end of theapparatus 10 opposite to the roll 15. The operation of such drivenrollers to advance the sheet 17 is well-known to those of skill in theart.

A yarn-laying head 18 is also part of the yarn-laying station 11.Yarn-laying head 18 draws one or more yarns 20 from one or more spools19 and applies the yarns 20 to the sheet 17. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, four spools 19 and four individual yarns 20 are shown. The yarns20 are run through two ceiling supports 30 and 31. In some embodiments,more than two ceiling supports are used. The yarns 20 are, in someembodiments, pre-coated with and adhesive so that they will adhere tothe sheet 17. The yarn-laying head 18 includes a heating element inorder to heat the pre-coated adhesive for application of the yarns 20 tothe sheet 17. In other embodiments, the yarns 20 are adhered to thesheet 17 by an adhesive that is heated in the yarn-laying head 18 andapplied to the yarns 20 as they are drawn onto the sheet 17. Theyarn-laying head 18 can lay yarns in substantially any pattern selectedby the operator of the apparatus 10. The yarn-laying head 18 can makemultiple passes over the sheet 17 to lay yarns 20 in multiple layers, asdesired. After the yarns 20 are deposited on the sheet 17, the adhesivecools and hardens such that the yarns are secured to the sheet 17.Yarn-laying head 18 also includes, in some embodiments, a marker (suchas a pen, pencil, or the like) that is used to create marks on the sheet17 to assist the plotter/cutter 29 in discerning features to be plottedand cut from the finished membrane.

After the yarns 20 have been laid on the sheet 17, the sheet is advancedto the laminating station 12. The laminating station 12 utilizes rollgoods lamination technology and comprises, in the embodiment representedin FIG. 1, a heated metal roll 21 and a flexible counter roll 22. Theflexible counter roll 22 is made, in many embodiments, of siliconerubber. The flexible counter roll 22 ensures uniform pressure across thesheet 17 as the sheet 17 passes through the laminating station 12despite the changes in thicknesses due to the varying density of yarnsacross the sheet 17. As those of skill in the art will appreciate,uniform lamination is critical to a durable sail that performsconsistently. For this reason, the speed of the laminator can be variedaccording to the density of yarns laid on the sheet 17. For higher yarndensities, the laminator is often run more slowly so that the yarns andthe sheet are sufficiently heated by the heated metal roll 21.

In some embodiments, a “flat-bed” laminator may be used instead of rollgoods lamination technology. Flat-bed laminators are well known in theart, and generally include a heated metal press under which thecomponents of the panel are pressed for lamination.

A roll 23 is also present in the laminating section 12, which holds anadditional component 24 to be laminated with the sheet 17 and yarns 20.In some embodiments, the roll 23 holds a second sheet identical orsimilar to the sheet 17. In other embodiments, the roll 23 will includesynthetic fabric or taffeta that is often used to make laminated sails.In still other embodiments, the roll 23 will include a previouslylaminated web of, for example, sailcloth made according to U.S. Pat. No.5,403,641 to Linville et al. Selection of the component 24 on roll 23 iscrucial to the performance of the panel that will eventually result fromthe process described herein and will depend on the intended use of thepanel. The component 24 is often a “top” sheet to compliment the“bottom” sheet 17 and sandwich the yarns 20.

After the sheet 17, the yarns 20, and the component 24 are laminated,they form a reinforced laminated sailcloth or membrane 25. Thereinforced laminated membrane 25 is then advanced through theaccommodator 13 to the plotting and cutting station 14. FIG. 1 shows theaccommodator 13 represented schematically as an accumulator made up of aplurality of rollers, including translatable rollers 26 and stationaryrollers 27. The accommodator 13, as shown in FIG. 1 (and FIG. 2), canaccommodate the reinforced laminated membrane 25 by increasing thedistance between one or more of the translatable rollers 26 and thestationary rollers 27, by the vertical movement of the translatablerollers 26. In this way, a longer length of the membrane 25 can bepresent between the laminating station 12 and the plotting and cuttingtable 14 within the rollers 26 and 27 of the accommodator 13.Effectively, the accommodator 13 increases the distance that thereinforced laminated membrane 25 must travel between the laminatingstation 12 and the cutting station 14.

The accommodator 13 can take numerous forms without departing from thespirit of the present invention. In some embodiments, the accommodator13 has translatable rollers that move in a horizontal direction. Inanother embodiment, the accommodator 13 is a table having an extendedlength on which the reinforced laminated membrane 25 is deposited afterlamination. In such an embodiment, the length of the accommodating tableis such that numerous sections or portions of the reinforced laminatedmembrane 25 may rest there before being processed by theplotting/cutting station 14. In yet another embodiment, the accommodator13 is in the form of a box in which the reinforced laminated membrane 25may be loosely folded while it awaits processing by the plotting/cuttingstation 14. Each type of accommodator is able to effectively increasethe distance that the reinforced laminated membrane 25 must travelbetween the laminating station 12 and the cutting station 14.

The first section of reinforced laminated membrane 25 to be advanced tothe plotting/cutting station 14 will not, in most cases, be accommodatedbut will simply pass directly through the accommodator 13. A “section”or “portion” of the sheet 17 or reinforced laminated membrane 25 is usedto refer loosely to a length of the sheet 17 or reinforced laminatedmembrane 25 in which a pattern of yarns 20 has been deposited that isintended to become an individual panel. The accommodator 13 is mostoften used to accommodate subsequent portions reinforced laminatedmembrane 25.

The plotting/cutting station 14 includes a plotting and cutting table 28and a plotter/cutter 29. The table 28 includes, in some embodiments, avacuum system for sucking the reinforced laminated membrane 25 againstthe table so that it cannot be moved by the plotter/cutter 29 whileplotting and cutting is taking place. Other securing mechanisms areemployed in other embodiments, including clamps, weights, hooks and thelike. The plotter/cutter 29 utilizes marks on the reinforced laminatedmembrane 25 and information from the computer models to accurately mapand then cut a sail panel to its desired shape and size. The panel isthen removed from the table 28 and taken to a curing station andeventually in some cases to a finishing station.

As the first panel is being cut from the reinforced laminated membrane25, the other sections of the apparatus 10 are performing work on othersections of the sheet 17. The sheet 17, which originates from roll 15,runs through the apparatus 10 substantially from one end of theapparatus 10 (i.e., the yarn-laying station 11 ) to the other end of theapparatus 10 (i.e., the plotting and cutting station 14). In someembodiments, a final rewind roll is provided after the plotting andcutting table to draw the laminated sailcloth 25 and sheet 17 and tocollect the unused portions of the laminated sailcloth 25. Theaccommodator 13 allows the various stations of the apparatus 10 tooperate continuously and in a substantially uninterrupted fashion.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus 10, which is anembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a gantry 33 thatcarries the yarn-laying head 18. The gantry 33 runs along the length ofthe yarn-laying table 16 in the directions of arrows 34. The yarn-layinghead 18 is able to move across the width of the yarn-laying table 16along a top portion of the gantry 33 in the directions of arrows 35. Theyarn-laying head 18, or components thereof, are also capable of rotationabout a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the table16. The movement of the gantry 33 on the table and the yarn-laying head18 on the gantry permit yarns 20 to be deposited, even along curvedpaths, over substantially all of the surface area of the sheet 17 thatis laid on the table 16. The construction and operation of a gantry andyarn-laying head which may be used in an apparatus according to thepresent invention is well known to those of skill in the art. Oneexample of such a gantry and yarn-laying head is found in U.S. Pat. No.5,355,820 to Conrad.

FIG. 2 also shows the laminating station 12 and the accommodator 13. Thereinforced laminated membrane 25 is shown being advanced through theaccommodator 13 to the plotting and cutting table 28 in plotting andcutting station 14. The plotter/cutter 29, like the yarn-laying head 18,rides on a gantry 36 up and down the table 28 in the directions of thearrows 37. The plotter/cutter 29 moves on the gantry 36 in thedirections of the arrows 38. The plotter/cutter 29, or componentsthereof, is also capable to rotation about a vertical axis that isperpendicular to the plane of the table 28. This allows theplotter/cutter 29 to move, even along curved paths, over the entireportion of reinforced laminated membrane 25 to be plotted and cut.Vacuum system 42 is shown schematically under the table 28. In someembodiments, the yarn-laying table 16 also includes a similar vacuumsystem 72 (also shown in FIG. 2).

The accommodator 13 is again shown having three translatable rollers 26and four stationary rollers 27. The three translatable rollers 26 arecapable of being translated vertically. In some embodiments, thetranslatable rollers 26 move independently of one another and in someembodiments the rollers 26 move in unison. The number of translatablerollers and the distance that they are permitted to travel determinesthe amount of reinforced laminated membrane 25 that may be accommodated.The accommodator may be operated manually by a person monitoring theapparatus 10, or automatically. In automatic operation, the accommodatorwill respond to information and commands from the yarn-laying station 11and the plotting and cutting station 14. Again, other types ofaccommodators are employed in other embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an important aspect of the present invention. A firstportion 39 of the reinforced laminated membrane 25 is shown undergoingplotting/cutting operations on the plotting and cutting table 28. At thesame time, a second portion 40 is being created in the yarn-layingstation 11 by the yarn-laying head 18 depositing reinforcing yarns onthe sheet 17. A third (and even a fourth) portion is accommodated in theaccommodator 13, waiting to be advanced to the plotting and cuttingstation 14.

In the embodiment shown, first portion 39 and second portion 40 (and anyportions in the accommodator 13) are each intended to be a panel of astructural sail and the yarns 20 are deposited along expected loadpaths. Second portion 40 is shown to be slightly larger than firstportion 39 and has a different pattern of reinforcing yarns 20 depositedthereon. In such a situation, the time required for the yarn-laying head18 to deposit the desired pattern of reinforcing yarns 20 on the secondportion 40 may be different than the time required by the plotter/cutter29 to cut out the panel from first portion 39. In particular, the timerequired by yarn-laying station 11 may be more than that required by theplotting and cutting station 14, so that a second portion 40 will not beready to be advanced through the laminating station 12 when the firstportion 39 is ready to be removed from the table 28. A similar situationarises when the patterns of yarns differ from one portion to the next.It is also true of some embodiments that, even for a series of portionshaving identical size, shape, and yarn patterns, the yarn-laying head 18simply takes longer than the plotter/cutter 29 (or vice versa).

In general, the step of yarn-laying takes the most time, even when thepanels are of substantially the same size with substantially the samepattern of yarns. In order to further speed the overall process, in someembodiments, two, three, or more yarn-laying heads 18 are arranged onthe table 16 and all operate simultaneously so that multiple panels maybe advanced through the machine in a more rapid fashion. In otherembodiments, multiple yarn-laying heads 18 are position over multipletables, all in line, operating simultaneously, and all feeding thelaminating station.

In these situations, the accommodator allows the plotting and cuttingstation 14 and the yarn-laying station 11 to operate substantiallycontinuously despite the foregoing differences in time required at eachstation. The accommodator allows second portion 40 (or a third portion,fourth portion, etc.) to be advanced through the laminating station 12so that the yarn-laying station 11 can begin work on additional portionsbefore the first portion 39 is ready to be removed from the plotting andcutting station 14. In this way, the apparatus 10 can rapidly create andprocess a series of portions, sections, or intended panels of reinforcedlaminated membrane 25 substantially without interruption or humanintervention.

In some embodiments, “frames” of multiple panels are created in series.A “frame” includes multiple panels that are separated by at most a verysmall distance on the sheet. The yarn-laying head 18 lays yarn patternsfor all of the multiple panels while the sheet is stationary on theyarn-laying table 16. Once a “frame” of multiple panels has beenlaminated, each of the multiple panels is plotted and cut at theplotting and cutting station 14. Meanwhile, a second “frame” of multiplepanels is being worked on by the yarn-laying station 11 and/or thelaminating station 12.

One of skill in the art will recognize that the particular arrangementof the accommodator between the laminating station and theplotting/cutting station is not necessary. The accommodator may bedisposed at other locations between the yarn-laying station and theplotting/cutting station. For example, in some embodiments, theaccommodator is disposed between the yarn-laying station and thelaminating station. In these embodiments, the reinforced laminatedmembrane will often have to be cooled before it is sent to theplotting/cutting station.

Once a panel has been cut from the reinforced laminated membrane 25, acompleted panel may require time for curing before it is finished. Theamount of time required for curing will depend on the materials used.For example, many panels require overnight (roughly 12 hour) curing.

After curing, the individual panels are moved to a finishing station 41and may be joined to form, for example, a structural sail. When forminga structural sail, the panels are joined using a broadseam technique sothat the finished sail has a three-dimensional shape. The panels may bejoined by stitching, adhesive bonding, or the like. Preferably, thepanels are joined using high pressure lamination of two panels and anadhesive strip (one such process is marketed under the trademarkQ-Bond).

FIG. 3 shows the assembly of a sail 60 from four completed panels 61,62, 63, and 64 on a finishing station 41. The three-dimensional shape ofthe sail 60 is apparent from FIG. 3. Each of the four completed panels61, 62, 63, and 64 has a different size, shape, and reinforcing yarnpattern, as is typical of structural sails.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of a panel 50, including two sheet layers 52and 53. A reinforcing layer 51 is composed of the yarns 20 and isdisposed between the top sheet 52 and the bottom sheet 53.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary method 100 of continuously producingmultiple sail panels for sails having one or more patterns ofreinforcing yarns. First, a bottom sheet of sail panel material isprovided 101. Then, first reinforcing yarns are added 102 to a firstportion of the bottom sheet in a first pattern. The first reinforcingyarns are laminated 103 to the first portion of the bottom sheet and toa top sheet to form a first reinforced laminated sail cloth. This firstreinforced laminated sailcloth is advanced 104 through an accommodatingstation to a cutting station and then the first reinforced laminatedsailcloth is fixed 105 in place at the cutting station. A first sailpanel is cut 106 from the first reinforced laminated sail cloth.

As the first reinforced laminated sailcloth is being fixed 105 at thecutting table and the first sail panel is being cut 106, secondreinforcing yarns are added 107 to a second portion of the bottom sheetof sail panel material. These second reinforcing yarns are laminated 108to the second portion of the bottom sheet and to a top sheet to form asecond reinforced laminated sail cloth. These steps (adding yarns 107and laminating 108) take place while the first sail panel is being cut106. The second reinforced laminated sailcloth is accommodated 109 inthe accommodating station until the cutting 106 of the first sail panelis complete. Once the cutting 106 of the first sail panel is complete,the second reinforced laminated sailcloth is advanced 110 to the cuttingstation, where it is fixed 111 in place while a second sail panel is cut112 from the second reinforced laminated sail cloth.

This process is repeated to form a third sail panel. Even as early aswhen the second reinforced sailcloth is being accommodated 109, thirdreinforcing yarns are added 113 to a third portion of the bottom sheetin a third pattern. The third reinforcing yarns are laminated 114 to thethird portion of the bottom sheet and to a top sheet to form a thirdreinforced laminated sail cloth. The third reinforced laminatedsailcloth is then accommodated 115 until the cutting 112 of the secondsail panel is complete. Once the cutting 112 of the second sail panel iscomplete, the third reinforced laminated sailcloth is advanced 116 tothe cutting station, fixed 117 in place, and a third sail panel is cut118. Box 119 signifies that the process is repeated and ongoing so thatas many sail panels as desired can be created in rapid succession.

The use of the accommodator allows the process to continue with nosubstantial interruption. After the first reinforced laminated sailclothis fixed 105 in place at the cutting station, the other stations beginwork on a second section of the sail panel material. In essence, eachstation may perform its function in a repeated fashion on a series ofpanels despite the fact that the time required for each station toperform its function on any given section of the material may bedifferent than the time required for any other station to perform itsfunction on a different section of the material. Thus, while the firstsail panel is being cut 106, yarns are being added 107 to the sheet ofmaterial in a second, different part of the sheet. Whenever the steps ofadding yarns (101, 107, 113) and cutting panels (106, 112, 118) requiredifferent lengths of time to complete, material will be accommodated(109, 115) as necessary ahead of the cutting station so that allstations may operate continuously.

The laminating steps 103, 108, 114 include, in some embodiments,laminating the reinforcing yarns and the sheet of sail panel material toa second sheet of sail panel material. This second sheet of sail panelmaterial, as described above, is often a previously laminated membraneor sailcloth that may include reinforcing yarns laminated to a sheet ina regular or irregular pattern.

The steps of accommodating 109, 115 include, in some embodiments,translating at least one roller so that the distance to be travelled bythe reinforced laminated sailcloth between where the reinforcing yarnsare added 102, 107, 113 and the cutting station is increased. The stepsof laminating 103, 108, 114 include, in some embodiments, the use ofroll-goods lamination. That is, the reinforcing yarns and the sheet ofsail panel material are advanced between a heated metal roll and aflexible counter roll.

Of course, as with structural sail panels made according to the methodsof the prior art, the reinforcing yarns are added 102, 107, 113 alongexpected load-paths in the sail panel. The locations of the load-pathsare often predicted using computer simulations.

Thus, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for moreefficiently and cost-effectively producing multiple panels of areinforced laminated membrane having one or more patterns of yarns. Therequired amount of human intervention is minimized and the variousmachines or parts of the apparatus are able to operate at a much highercapacity.

Although the invention has been described with reference to severalembodiments with certain constructions, structures, ingredients andformulations and the like, these are not intended to exhaust allpossible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modificationsand variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.

1. A method of continuously producing multiple sail panels for sailshaving one or more patterns of reinforcing yarns, comprising the stepsof: providing a sheet of sail panel material; adding first reinforcingyarns to a first portion of the sheet in a first pattern; laminating thefirst reinforcing yarns to the first portion of the sheet to form afirst reinforced laminated sailcloth; advancing the first reinforcedlaminated sailcloth through an accommodating station to a cuttingstation; fixing the first reinforced laminated sailcloth in place at thecutting station; cutting the first reinforced laminated sailcloth into afirst sail panel; while cutting the first sail panel, adding secondreinforcing yarns to a second portion of the sheet in a second pattern;laminating the second reinforcing yarns to the second portion of thesheet to form a second reinforced laminated sail cloth; accommodatingthe second reinforced laminated sailcloth in the accommodating stationuntil cutting of the first sail panel from the first reinforcedlaminated sailcloth complete.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst pattern and the second pattern are the same.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are different.4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of: advancing thesecond reinforced laminated sailcloth to the cutting station; fixing thesecond reinforced laminated sailcloth in place at the cutting station;and cutting the second reinforced laminated sailcloth into a second sailpanel, where the second sail panel and the first sail panel are intendedto form parts of a sail.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the secondpanel is cut to a different shape than the first panel.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the steps of laminating comprise laminating the firstand second reinforcing yarns and the first and second portions of thesheet of sail panel material to a previously laminated material.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the previously laminated material comprisesreinforced sailcloth.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofaccommodating comprises translating at least one roller to vary thedistance to be travelled by the second reinforced laminated sailcloth toarrive at the cutting station.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein thesteps of laminating comprise advancing the first and second reinforcingyarns and the first and second portions of the sheet of sail panelmaterial between a heated metal roll and a flexible counter roll. 10.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adding first reinforcingyarns to a sheet of sail panel material comprises adding firstreinforcing yarns along expected load-paths in a sail panel.
 11. Anapparatus for continuously producing multiple panels of a laminatedmembrane having one or more patterns of reinforcing yarn, comprising: ayarn-laying head for adding first reinforcing yarn to a first portion ofa sheet of material in a first pattern and second reinforcing yarn to asecond portion of the sheet of material in a second pattern; a laminatorfor laminating the first reinforcing yarn to the first portion of thesheet to form a first portion of reinforced laminated membrane and thesecond reinforcing yarn to the second portion of the sheet to form asecond portion of reinforced laminated membrane; a cutting device forcutting panels from the first and second portions of reinforcedlaminated membrane; and an accommodator disposed between the yarn-layinghead and the cutting device for accommodating the second portion of thesheet of material until the cutting of a first panel from the firstportion of reinforced laminated membrane is completed by the cuttingdevice.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a cuttingtable on which the first portion of reinforced laminated membrane isfixed while panels are cut by the cutting device.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the cutting table includes a vacuum surface.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the first pattern and the second patternare different.
 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first patternand the second pattern are the same.
 16. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein the accommodator comprises a plurality of translatable rollersfor varying the distance travelled by the second reinforced laminatedmembrane between the laminator and the cutting device.
 17. The apparatusof claim 11, wherein the laminator comprises a heated metal roll and aflexible counter roll.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein thelaminator laminates the first and second reinforcing yarns and the firstand second portions of the sheet of material to a previously laminatedmembrane.
 19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising ayarn-laying table on which the sheet of material is secured while theyarn-laying head adds the first reinforcing yarn to the sheet.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the yarn-laying head adds the firstreinforcing yarns to the sheet of material along expected load-paths inthe panel.
 21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the laminator isdisposed between the yarn-laying head and the cutting device and theaccommodator is disposed between the yarn-laying head and the laminator.22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the laminator is disposed betweenthe yarn-laying head and the cutting device and the accommodator isdisposed between the cutting device and the laminator.